Toxic
by Rumpus Bananaman
Summary: After getting caught stealing from Team Rocket, two young friends are recruited and sent on a mission to recover secret files from Silph Co.
1. Chapter 1

**Toxic**

 **Chapter 1**

Troy watched as the slots landed on triple 7's. He cleared the coins out into a bucket held by his childhood friend Evan.

"We're halfway to a Scyther, my friend!" Troy said.

"Or you know, we could save up for a Porygon." Evan replied. Troy scoffed and inserted a coin into the machine. "Porygon would be cool and you know it."

"Dude, giant bug with scythes for arms. Nothing is cooler than that." Troy said. He inserted another coin into the machine and hit triple 7's for a second time. Earlier that day Evan had fiddled with the wiring on the machine to change the odds on the slots. The two delinquents were winning on nearly every spin. Troy entered a coin and triple 7's came up like clockwork.

"Jackpot!" Troy said as he flung his arms in the air. Evan responded with a sharp punch to the arm.

"Do you want to get caught?" Evan said.

"It's a little late for that, gentlemen." A mysterious voice came from behind the two. They tried to bolt for the door but were quickly met by two large guards and slammed up against the machines. A slender man walked up and slowly examined the two friends. He was dressed in a slick blue suit and his undershirt was unbuttoned to show off his grayish chest hair.

"Listen, guys. We don't want any trouble. We're just here testing our luck with the slots. What's wrong with that?" Troy said.

"It's not luck when you screw with our machines, you little worm." One of the guards said.

"Hold on a second, Gionni. These guys could be of use to us." The man snapped his fingers and the guards released their grip from the necks of the scared duo. "Do you know who I am, boys?"

"N-no, sir." Evan said. Troy shook his head no.

"My name is Rocco Bonavicci. I manage this here fine establishment." Rocco started pacing slowly in front of the two. Seemingly deep in thought. "I don't like it when people steal from me. In fact, I don't think the boss is gonna like it when he finds out that two schmoes were cheatin' him outta Pokemon."

"I say we break 'em in half, boss." The shorter and stockier of the guards said.

"I say we don't!" Troy quipped with a smile. Evan jabbed Troy in the side.

"What are you? Some kind of wise guy? You think you're funny? You think bein' a smartass is gonna get you outta this?" The taller guard said as he placed his grip firmly beneath the chin of the wise cracking thief.

"Gionni, what did I say about them being useful to us? Did I stutter? Did you not understand? Let him go, ya brute." Rocco slapped the large guard upside his head.

"Sorry, boss." Gionni released his grip once again.

"Can we go now?" Troy asked.

"Excuse me?" Rocco looked at Troy like he had just insulted his mother.

"I apologize for my idiot friend here, sir. I swear, if you let us go you will never see our stupid faces again." Evan pleaded with Rocco but his gaze never broke from Troy's direction. Slowly Rocco nodded.

"You, I don't like your smart mouth." Rocco pointed at Troy and then moved his hand towards Evan. "But you, you got gumption. You came in here, stole from a known criminal organization, and now here you are tryin' to talk your way out of it. I like you, kid."

"Thanks, I guess..." Evan looked over at Troy and shrugged.

"I'm gonna be honest with yous twos. I'm either gonna let my guys here use you for target practice, or you can come work for me and pay off your debt. Your choice." The guards behind Rocco cracked their knuckles.

"One question though." Troy said.

"No. No. No. No. No." Evan whispered under his breath.

"How good of a shot are they?" Troy cracked a smile much to Evan's chagrin.

"We'll take the job." Evan said. He offered his hand to Rocco as a sign of agreement.

"Keep an eye on your friend, kid." Rocco met Evan's hand and shook it firmly. "Gionni, Bernard, show these fine young gentlemen to my office in the back. I want to get them set up for success."

"Right this way, fellas." Bernard shoved Troy and Evan towards the back of the Game Corner.

"Handsy, jeez." Troy said as the two were slowly dragged to the back.

* * *

Rocco's office was a dark, smoke filled, cramped room in the basement. The lights were dimmer than the guards who stood watch outside the door. Troy and Evan were seated on a dirty leather couch within the office. Across from them Rocco sat shuffling papers in his executive chair. He slapped a document in front of the two.

"First thing's first, boys. Do yous have any pokemon?" The two shook their heads no. "Wonderful, a clean slate. Looks like I'm gonna have to hook you up with some partners of your own."

"Wait, seriously?' Evan shot a look of excitement to Troy. They had wanted their own pokemon since childhood but had never had the chance to be a real trainer.

"Yeah, how do you expect to get any work done without a pokemon? Now I think I got a few back here somewhere." Rocco opened his desk drawer and starting rifling through it.

"Hey, if you have any Scythers laying around I'll take one." Troy said.

"Full of jokes, this guy." Rocco went back to rummaging through his desk.

"What kind of work are we talking about anyway?" Evan asked.

"Here we go." Rocco placed two pokeballs on the table in front of them. Behind them he placed two documents labelled 'Summary Sheet'. "I'll get to the details later. First let's get this outta the way. In front of you are two pokeballs. Behind them are the details for what's inside. Attacks, evolutionary patterns, type advantages, the works. Now each of yous gets one. It's up to yous twos to decide who gets who."

Rocco slid the summary sheets towards the two friends. Troy picked up the first one and studied it.

"A Poliwag. Water type. Evolves into a Poliwhirl...then into either a Poliwrath or a Politoad."

"That Politoad reminds me of you." Evan said with a chuckle. Troy huffed and picked up the pokeball.

"What's in that one?" Troy asked. Evan lifted the document and read it closely.

"Grimer. It's a poison type usually found in the sewer in cities like this one. Evolves into Muk. Even the pokeball has a...distinct smell." Evan picked up the pokeball and grimaced.

"Are you two happy with the ones yous got?" Rocco asked. Both shook their head in agreement. "Always a good time to see two young trainers get their first pokemon. So I gotta ask, you gonna nickname your new partners?"

"I think I'll leave mine the way it is. Grimer." Evan smiled at the thought of his new pokemon.

"Forget that, I'm naming mine Mr. Punchy." Troy smiled at the unique name he gave his Poliwag.

"He doesn't even have any arms!"

"Not yet. But he will and Mr. Punchy will live up to his nickname."

"How old are you, kid?" Rocco said.

"Twenty two." Troy replied.

"Alright then. You guys will have plenty of time to bond and whatnot later. We need to get down to business. The reason I brought you guys in is because we're lookin' for some research files." Rocco placed a manila folder labelled 'Operation Toxic' in front of them. He flipped it open and pulled out some photos. Most of them were of the old laboratories on Cinnabar Island. Some were of newer labs unrecognizable to the two friends. "As you two know, scientists researched a legendary pokemon in the old mansion on Cinnabar Island. That pokemon was called Mew. The first pokemon ever. Well what you might not know is that Silph Co. decided to continue that research."

"What does this have to do with either of us?" Evan asked.

"I'm gettin' to it. Didn't your mother teach you any patience?" Troy smirked at the response. "I digress, a couple years ago our organization discovered that Silph had done some research on it. From what I've heard they got pretty close to clonin' this legendary pokemon."

"Didn't someone already clone Mew? I'm pretty sure Mewtwo tried to destroy the world at one point and time." Troy said.

"Yeah, but this was different scientists doin' different work. Rumor has it that Silph found DNA belonging to the legendary pokemon and are about to run it through a clonin' process. However these files are heavily encrypted and hidden somewhere in the Silph building. We tried to find it a few years ago, we even took over their HQ. But before we could find it, some schmuck kid came through and destroyed everybody. It was embarrassin'."

"This must be where we come in." Evan said.

"Bingo. I saw what you did today, yous guys know your way around a computer. I need yous twos to find those files for me."

"How do you expect us to do that? We just got our pokemon. There's no way we can storm into Silph HQ and steal their top secret files they've had hidden away for years." Troy said.

"That's the thing, kid. The files aren't in Silph HQ. They're hidden at one of their branches. See, each town has a small lab where Silph does their research. I want you guys to go to each one and try to find it. While you do that me and my guys are gonna stage another attack on Silph HQ. With the focus on us, yous twos can quickly go through and find those files." Rocco spread more papers over the table. He tapped on the one closest to Evan. "This here is the lab in Pewter City. Easy target, most of the trainers out there are gonna be bug catchers so you two don't have much to worry about."

"How are we supposed to get to Pewter City from here?" Evan asked.

"You can take Diglett Tunnel. You might have some trouble with them bein' ground types and all that but your smart mouth friend and his 'Mr. Punchy' will have a field day. I'm gonna give you a stipend of $500. Spend it wisely, my friends, because this is the last money you'll ever be takin' outta my pocket." Rocco tossed a wad of cash in Evan's direction which was then quickly intercepted by Troy.

"I think I could get used to working for you guys." Troy flipped through the bills counting meticulously.

"Yeah, sure. Just don't screw it up, kid. Yous twos have PokeNavs, right?" Rocco asked. The two nodded in unison. "Good. Keep me updated. I don't want yous twos goofin' off. Get goin'."

Troy and Evan grabbed their pokeballs and their documents and quickly left Rocco's office. As they headed to the elevator being 'gently' guided by Gionni and Bernard the two whispered under their breath.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Evan said.

"Dude, we got pokemon and a giant wad of cash out of this. How bad could it be?" Troy replied.

"I hope you're right. What do you think they want to do with those files?" Evan asked. Troy responded with a look of concern. Before anything else could be said Gionni swiped his card key and threw the two new goons into the elevator and on their way.

* * *

Troy and Evan walked side by side through the streets of Celadon City. The street lights had just came on and everyone was either rushing to the department store or trying to find their way home. Troy nudged Evan and pointed to the bar across the way. Evan nodded and the two crossed the street and entered the building. They ordered their respective drinks and sat at the bar contemplating their new assignment. Troy pulled out his pokeball and gazed at it.

"You know, I've always dreamed about getting my first pokemon. I didn't think this is how it would happen." He said.

"I know, man." Evan said as he took another sip from his drink.

"When I was a kid I grew up idolizing the way my father was with his pokemon. He had so much faith in them. I always figured he'd be the one to give me my first partner." Troy spun the pokeball in his hand. "Do you think they caught this guy?"

"Doubt it." Evan pulled his pokeball out and glanced at it.

"Doesn't matter. I'm going to be the best trainer he's ever had." Evan glanced over at Troy and could see the sincerity in his eyes. Slowly he nodded in agreement. He thought about his Grimer and how he ended up in Rocco's possession.

"We should go, before it gets too late." Evan said. He threw some cash on the bar and the duo left. Together they headed towards the main gate between Celadon and Saffron ready for whatever their journey had in store for them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Toxic**

 **Chapter 2**

Daylight broke over the horizon slowly chasing away the shadows Troy and Evan's campground. The previous night, the two friends finally gained the courage to meet their pokemon. After an awkward introduction the duo and their pokemon became fast friends. A night of playing, laughter, sharing food, and sharing stories soon followed. When the night grew long Evan returned Grimer to it's pokeball for a good night's rest while Troy and Mr. Punchy snuggled warmly in his bed. Troy was the first awake quickly followed by Mr. Punchy. The two sat up and stretched out.

"Sleep well, Mr. Punchy?" Troy asked.

"Poli!" Mr. Punchy wagged his tail and nodded his head. Troy looked over to Evan's bed, his longtime friend was still fast asleep. Troy shot a devious look to Mr. Punchy who returned it with glee. "I think it's time we wake our friend. What do you think Mr. Punchy?"

"Polii!" Mr. Punchy leaped onto his feet ready for action.

"Mr. Punchy, use water gun!" Troy yelled. Mr. Punchy tensed up and then shot a strong gush of water at Evan's bed.

"Wha-?! Hey! Knock it off!" Evan flailed about and landed hard on the ground. Troy and Mr. Punchy fell to ground cackling at Evan's misfortune. "You jackass."

"Don't be mad because I got the better pokemon. Isn't that right, Mr. Punchy?" Troy said. Mr. Punchy stood tall in agreement.

"Oh please, the only thing your Poliwag is better at is being annoying." Evan said. Troy quickly placed his hands on the sides on Mr. Punchy's head.

"Don't listen to him, Mr. Punchy. He's just jealous." Troy stuck his tongue out in defiance.

"Why don't you put your money where your mouth is? Let's battle,. Right here, right now." Evan said.

"I would but we have a mission to do, lazy bones." Troy lifted Mr. Punchy into his arms and gave him a squeeze. "Plus Mr. Punchy needs some breakfast. You can't expect us to battle on an empty stomach."

"Yeah sure." Evan placed his pokeball back into his bag and started packing up the campsite.

"Hey, how come you don't let Grimer out of his pokeball?" Troy asked.

"Grimer is a poison type. He's made for the city life. He would be uncomfortable in a camp site." Evan replied. Troy looked at his Poliwag. He never considered if Poliwag would be uncomfortable outside of his pokeball.

After packing up their camp site they headed down Route 7 towards Saffron City. They cut through the large grass battle wild Meowth and Pidgeys to better prepare them for the task they had been given. After a few hours of training the duo headed to the main city gate between Route 7 and Saffron.

"I hope the guard's not a total dick this time." Troy said as he stretched his arms over his head. Mr. Punchy had taken a cozy seat within his backpack.

"Maybe this time try not to insult his mother."

"He had it coming."

"You'll have a slap upside the head if you say anything to the guard." Evan said.

The two entered the front door of the gate. The guard who they had issues with was nowhere in sight. Instead a rather hefty man stood watch behind the front desk. The two approached the desk in hopes of an easy pass through to the city. The guard looked up from his Pokebabes magazine and inspected the two travelers.

"No." The man snorted and went back to his magazine.

"What do you mean 'No'? Why can't we pass?" Troy said. Evan shot an angry look at Troy. He backed away from the desk mumbling insults at the guard.

"Sir, we're not here to cause trouble. We're just trying to get to Vermillion. Can we please pass through?" Evan pleaded.

"No." The guard snorted and shot a snot rocket onto the ground near Evan's feet. He gagged and looked away.

"Why can't we go through?" Evan asked.

"I'm thirsty." The guard said.

"Seriously?" Evan replied.

"Thirsty, eh? This looks like a job for Mr. Punchy." Troy swung his backpack around launching Mr. Punchy into the air. "Mr. Punchy, use water gun!"

"No! Troy, don't!" Evan yelled but it was too late. Mr. Punchy tensed up and shot a burst of water into the face of the guard knocking him out of his chair. The guard fell and smacked his head on the ground knocking him out cold. Evan ran up to the soaking wet guard.

"Did you have to do that?" He asked.

"He said he was thirsty! Right, Mr. Punchy?" Poliwag nodded his head in agreement. Evan scoffed and turned back to the guard when he heard a tapping on the closet behind him. Curious he went up and reached for the handle.

"What are you doing?" Troy asked.

"I think there's someone in here." Evan replied. He twisted the handle and pulled the door. As it opened a small balding man popped out and landed hard on the floor. "Oh my God!"

"Isn't that the old guard?" Troy asked. Evan quickly untied the struggling guard. He stood up, brushed himself off.

"Man, I could use a drink." He said. Evan slapped Troy upside the head before he could respond. "I guess I should thank you two for saving me."

"Saving you from what? What's going on?" Troy asked.

"Well, I was sitting here minding my own business when this bozo came up behind me and knocked me out. Next thing I know I'm stuck in the closet, and Team Rocket is passing through to Saffron City." Troy and Evan shot each other a look.

"You mean this guy-" Evan said.

"-is Team Rocket?" Troy finished the question.

"Yep!" The guard said with a smile on his face. Troy and Evan were speechless. "Good job, fellas! It takes a real tough trainer to beat a Rocket Grunt."

"Yeah, thanks." Evan said.

"Well, I can take it from here. You two can pass on through. I'll let the other guards know to let you through as well. Thanks, again!" The guard turned and walked back to his desk.

"Rocco is not going to be happy about this one." Evan said. Troy nodded his head and helped Mr. Punchy back into his bag. Slowly he fell asleep as the duo went through the gates and into Saffron City.

* * *

"You thought I wouldn't find out?" Rocco screamed over the pokenav. He had been going off for about ten minutes and Troy was growing tired of his voice.

"Rocco...ksh...going into tunnel...ksh...can't hear...ksh.." Troy said. Evan facepalmed.

"You idiot! Your pokenav has GPS, I know you're in Saffron City!" Rocco screamed.

"Have to...ksh...bathroom...ksh...bad oran bery...ksh..."

"You soaked my guard, you-" The phone slapped shut and Troy slipped it into his pocket. "I think that went well."

"Rocco's going to kill you." Evan replied.

"Not if we find those files he won't!" Troy smiled and marched forward. The two had been walking the streets of Saffron City for roughly an hour carefully avoiding Silph HQ. Evan had always been mesmerized by the city. Growing up in the hills of Kanto he had gotten used to the farm life. His parent's owned a small Taurus farm just east of Celadon. His parents had enrolled him in boarding school in the city where he met Troy for the first time. After that they had been best friends ever since. He glanced over at Troy. Mr. Punchy was still sitting comfortably in his backpack. Troy looked to Evan.

"Hey, you should let Grimer out. I bet he'd love the city view." He said.

"Maybe." Evan looked down and continued walking.

"Poli?" Mr. Punchy said as he woke up from his nap. He sat up and began sniffing the air. His eyes widened and he became restless. "Poliwag! Poli! Poli!"

"Mr. Punchy, what are you doing? Is something wrong?" Troy pulled the backpack from behind him and sat Mr. Punchy on the ground.

"Poliwag!" Mr. Punchy jumped from the and bolted down the road.

"Mr. Punchy!" Troy took off after Poliwag and Evan was soon behind him. Poliwag sprinted down the road weaving in and out of foot traffic and eventually coming to a stop in front of an eerily quiet house on the corner. Troy caught up to Mr. Punchy and tackled him in the walkway.

"Oh my God, Mr. Punchy. Never run off like that again!" He slowly stood up and looked at the house. Chills ran down his spine. Evan out of breath slowly jogged up to the two.

"What..was that...about...?" He said panting. Troy stayed silent. "Troy?"

Troy began walking toward the house. Evan pulled his arm but was unable to stop him.

"Hey, what are you doing?" He looked into Troy's eyes and noticed they had a zombie like gray hue. "Troy?"

Troy continued down the walkway toward the house. Evan followed closely behind. Poliwag was held snugly in Troy's arms. As they got to the door Troy stopped and turned to Evan.

"He's waiting." Troy said, his eyes focused keenly on his friend.

"Who is?" Evan asked.

"Him." Troy opened the door revealing a long empty dark hallway. Evan looked at Troy and slowly walked past him and into the house. As soon as he cleared the doorway the door slammed behind him. The hallway was bare. No pictures. No windows. No rug. Just a single door cracked open at the end.

"Hello?" Evan said as he approached the door. As he grew closer a feeling of dread overcame him. He reached for the door and slowly pushed inward. He peered inside the room and saw a single chair behind an old wooden desk. The walls were lined with bookshelves stocked with ancient texts. He slowly peeked his head in and scouted the room. It was empty. He entered the room and walked up to the bookshelf. He studied the books, most of which looked hundreds of years old. He reached for a book.

"You are afraid." A voice behind Evan called out startling him and causing him to slam against the bookcase. A thick cloud of dust came tumbling out. When the dust cleared he could make out a figure of an old man on the distant wall.

"What...what did you say?" Evan said. The feeling of dread returned.

"You are afraid, child." The illusory figure stood tall against the wall. His voice deep and matured boomed throughout the room.

"I'll be less afraid when I can see you." Evan reached for the light sitting on the old desk. As he reached out it slowly moved away from him. He froze.

"You do not fear me. You fear your pokemon." The voice said.

"What? I'm not afraid of Grimer."

"You are afraid." The figure slowly disappeared into the wall. Evan rubbed his eyes and looked again. The room was empty. He slowly made his way over to the far way and examined it. Nothing stood out, it was just a blank wall with dusty beige wallpaper. He placed his hand on the wall and slowly rested his head against it.

"What did he mean...?" Evan closed his eyes. A hand touched his shoulder causing him to jump and spin around.

"Whoa, dude! It's just me." Troy stood there with a puzzled look on his face. "Are you okay, man?"

"What? Yeah, no. I'm fine. What do you remember?"

"I remember running after Mr. Punchy and then nothing. I think I passed out on the lawn out front. By the way, where are we?" Troy began examining the books on the shelf.

"I don't know. Let's just get out of here." Evan said. Troy shrugged and the two left the house and continued their journey.


	3. Chapter 3

**Toxic**

 **Chapter 3**

"He said I was afraid." Evan said. The duo had made their way to Route 6 and were currently dodging the combative eyes of local trainers. For the first time in a long time Troy had returned Mr. Punchy to his ball.

"Afraid of what?" Troy replied.

"Grimer."

"What?" Troy looked confused. "What did he mean?"

"I don't know. It was creepy. I didn't want to stay in there for long." Evan pulled out Grimer's pokeball. He studied its luminescent red glow. Had he been afraid of Grimer? He shook his head and shoved the ball back into his pocket. As they approached the pond they could see a group of young trainers surrounding a couple of heated battlers. Troy shot his signature smirk at Evan and took off towards the trainers. Evan sighed and quickly followed. As they grew closer they could make out an older war veteran commanding a Raichu against a much younger slender mohawked trainer and his Muk.

"Raichu, use Thunder!" The veteran said. The Raichu leapt high in the air emitting a piercing bright light followed by a massive explosion. Troy and Evan closed their eyes as the ground shook around them. As the dust settled the crowd cheered. The veteran was standing tall with his Raichu in front as the spiky-haired teen was kneeling on the ground next to his unconscious Muk. Troy looked around and found a short blond bug catcher to squeeze answers from. He rushed next to him, Evan close behind, and poked him hard.

"Hey, what's going on here?" He said. The bug catcher looked irritated but complied with the request.

"Are you new to town or have you been living under a rock?" The snarky remark got the bug catcher a dirty look. He began pointed to the kid. "That's Vance, a member of the Poison Pack biker gang that hangs out on Route 17, and 20th ranked trainer in Kanto. He's taking the Pokemon League challenge but it's not going well." He turned and pointed to the veteran.

"That's Lt. Surge. Arguably the best gym leader in the nation. Next to Blue, of course. Surge's Raichu just handily dismantled Vance's Muk, it wasn't even a contest."

Troy and Evan looked on in awe at the older muscle-bound veteran who stood before them. His Raichu, who was now eating a berry, looked docile but incredibly powerful. Troy had the sudden urge to hug it. Evan looked over to Vance who was tending to his injured Muk. He felt a ping in his stomach. Was the shadowed man right? Was he afraid? He barely let Grimer out of his ball outside of battle. How could he become a powerful trainer like Vance if he couldn't connect with his Pokemon?

"You okay, man?" The bug catcher tapped Evan's arm giving him a slight startle.

"Yeah, no, yeah. I'm fine." Evan looked around, Troy was gone. "Did you see where my friend went?"

The bug catcher snorted and pointed towards Surge. Troy was rolling around on the ground with an irritated Raichu in his arms, and an irritated Surge standing over top of him. Evan sighed. He ran over to pull Raichu free but was too late. Raichu, now beet red, started glowing.

"Everybody down!" Surge screamed as he ducked for cover. Evan dove as a lightning bolt struck the ground sending rocks flying in every direction. Through the screams Evan could hear the faint sound of giggling. He stood up, brushed himself off, and peered through the dust. Troy was still hugging the now confused Pokemon. He looked up to Evan and smiled.

"Rubber soles. My mom had a Pikachu when I was a kid." Troy stood up Raichu held tightly in his arms. He walked over to Surge and set the Pokemon down. "He's super fluffy, sir. I commend you on your choice of shampoo."

"What the hell is wrong with you, boy?" Surge asked.

"I ask that question everyday." Evan replied. Troy shrugged.

"If you're done screwin' around is there somethin' you want? If not, then get outta here." Surge pulled out a pokeball, returned Raichu, and stuffed the ball back into his pocket.

"Sorry, sir. We'll be out of your way." Evan said. He grabbed Troy by the shirt and tried to pull him away. Troy knocked Evan's hand away and took a step towards Surge. Surge looked down at him in amusement.

"I want to challenge you." Troy said. Surge laughed heartily. Evan gawked on unsure of whether his friend was serious or if the lightning actually did screw with his head.

"Yeah? You wanna challenge me then you can do it like everyone else, at my gym in Vermillion. Now beat it, kid." Surge pushed his way through the onlookers and left towards the city, the crowd in tow. As the last few onlookers slowly dispersed the small field next to the pond slowly returned to it's naturally serene ambiance. Evan made his way over to Troy and swatted him on the back of the head.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Evan screamed.

"What?"

"Why would you challenge Surge? Why would you put the attention on us? We had a simple mission! Sneak in, steal stuff, sneak out. Why is that so hard to understand?"

"Yell all you want I know what I'm doing." Troy sat down next to the pond and let Mr. Punchy out of his pokeball. The Poliwag splashed happily into the water. Troy smiled. "Enjoy it, Mr. Punchy. We have our first major battle coming up."

"I'm not trying to be that guy but if you could explain what you're doing, that'd be great." Evan said. Troy sat up and stared out towards the water.

"Did you see the size of the crowd today?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I think the whole town was there."

"So?"

"Everyone loves a good battle. Especially a beat down. I saw some Silph employees behind Surge." Troy looked up at Evan and grinned. "They were following him when he left. I think they work in the gym."

"Wait, so the challenge?"

"A decoy while you search the building. I'm sure Rocco won't mind us hitting the Vermillion lab before we head over to Pewter."

"You brilliant son-of-a-bitch." A smile stretched across Evan's face. He joined Troy at the edge of the pond. The sun felt warm on his skin as he released Grimer from his pokeball. His Pokemon stretched its arms out and gave a great big sigh of relief. They laid together in the grass enjoying the cool spring breeze. "Sometimes I don't know if you're a moron or a genius."

"There's one thing I do know."

"What's that?" Evan shielded the sun from his eyes and looked over.

"I'm gonna need to start training." He said as he stood up and jumped feet first into the pond. Evan watched as he waded through the water and began playing around with his Pokemon. He looked over to Grimer who was still sleeping happily in the sun. Its stench was no longer stinging Evan's nostrils. It was even maybe a little pleasant. He laid his head back down and slowly fell asleep to the sounds of laughter and splashing.

* * *

Rocco sat low in his beat-up black leather chair. He swiveled around with his hands gripping the arm rests. His office was the smallest one in the building, hidden on the basement floor, packed wall to wall with file cabinets and paperwork. His gray tuft of chest hair was dripping sweat onto his sleek blue suit. The one thing he didn't understand was how the largest criminal organization in Kanto couldn't afford air conditioning. Separating his office from the rest of the basement was an old wooden door with a busted glass window with Rocco's name on it. Guarding that was Gionni, Rocco's longtime friend and bodyguard. Rocco stared blankly at the pokenav on his cluttered desk. Soon enough it would start ringing and he would get a much-needed update from Saffron City about the two idiots he sent to search the labs. He nearly jumped out of his seat when Gionni knocked on the door.

"Whadayawant?" He yelled. Gionni cracked open the door and peaked in. His short buzz cut did nothing to help shape his potato face.

"We got, uh, someone here to see you, boss." His dopey expression had been replaced with a slightly frightened one. Rocco already irritated with the interruption of his daily schedule waved him off.

"Get outta here. Tell 'em I'm busy." Gionni nodded and closed the door. Rocco sat back and began swiveling again and once again was nearly sent flailing from his chair when the door caved in. Gionni laid unconscious on the pile of splintered wood. Rocco jumped from his chair and frantically searched for the pokeballs he kept in his desk drawer.

"At ease, Rocco." A brute of a man stepped through the doorway and over Gionni's limp body. Following close behind was the largest Machamp Rocco had ever seen. He slowly grew closer to Rocco like a lion stalking his prey. It sent chills down Rocco's spine. He towered over Rocco, who was not blessed with height to begin with. He gazed at him with inhuman eyes as black as his long flowing hair. Rocco's back was pressed up against the cold steel of the filing cabinets. He could feel the handles digging into his back like daggers.

"H-hey, Leon. G-good to see ya." Rocco said. Leon leaned over his and grabbed him by the neck and forced him up to the point where his feet barely touched the ground.

"Were you trying to weasel your way out of a meeting with me?" Leon growled.

"N-n-n-no, not at all. I-I-I was just waitin' on a phone call, boss. I didn't know it was you."

"I'm getting tired of your antics. When I took over for Giovanni he promised me that you would be a competent leader, but yet here you are barricaded away in your little cave like a mouse."

"Who are you calling a mo-" Leon tightened his grip around Rocco's neck. Rocco grabbed harder at Leon's massive arms. "Yep…mouse…that's me…"

"I put you in charge of the Celadon Game Corner and you want to sass me?" Leon tightened his gripped more. "The only reason I'm keeping you alive is because I need those Silph papers. Now have you found them or not?"

"N-No…not yet…" Rocco rasped. Leon lightened his grip a little, Rocco started gasping. "I got…some…huff…guys on it…"

"You should have your entire force on it!" Leon screamed. He punched the cabinets next to Rocco's head leaving a large dent.

"B-boss, I will. I g-got a plan. These guys ain't schmucks, I swear! I'm gonna be getting' an update from 'em real soon." He pointed to the pokenav on his desk. Leon glanced over and then back to Rocco.

"I want an update the minute you hang up your phone." Leon dropped Rocco who fell to the ground in a heap. He stepped back over Gionni's body and through the door. His Machamp followed close behind taking a big step on the lifeless body before leaving. Rocco rubbed his sweaty sore throat and looked at the mess in the center of his office. Gionni was breathing, fortunately, though his crooked nose looked even more bent than usual. As he made his way to his feet the pokenav lit up and started ringing. Rocco rushed over to the desk nearly knocking everything over in his wake. He fumbled with the phone and finally opened it.

"Y-yo, gimme the good news." He said. The voice on the other line was crackly, Rocco cursed the reception in his office.

"Boss…two kids…goofed off. Stupid one…challenged Surge…will continue with update…First team ready…stationed in Saffron…will send updates…" The call cut out.

"What the hell are those two nimrods doin'?" Rocco slapped his forehead. Slowly he brought the phone up at started dialing Leon's number.


	4. Chapter 4

**Toxic**

 **Chapter 4**

"Mr. Punchy, use Water Gun!" Troy yelled.

His Pokemon jumped into action and shot a powerful stream of water at the opposing trainer's Butterfree. Its trainer looked on helplessly as his Pokemon tried hard to evade but was struck in the center of its torso sending it flying into the grassy field below. It struggled its way back to its feet and flew back into the air furious and stained with dirt.

"Come on, Punchy! Finish him off!" Evan yelled from the sidelines.

A group of spectators had surrounded the bout and were cheering wildly for the two trainers. Troy had the crowd almost fully behind him as they were chanting for Mr. Punchy almost non-stop. Elijah the bug catcher was struggling hard to regain control of the match. He trained his Butterfree hard but it was still no match for the oddly named Poliwag.

"Butterfree, use Stun Spore!" He commanded.

His Butterfree flew towards Mr. Punchy and released a thick yellow spore from its torso coating half of the field. Onlookers jumped back and quickly covered their mouths. Troy calm as ever commanded Mr. Punchy like a pro.

"Dodge it, Punchy, and finish him off with a Body Slam!"

Mr. Punchy leaped into the air, high above the approaching Butterfree and dropped back first onto Butterfree. The impact was like a comet hitting the Earth, it sent a small quake through the field sending dirt in every direction. The silence was deafening as everyone looked on anxiously waiting for the Pokemon to climb out of the crater. Mr. Punchy slowly emerged from the dust and the crowd erupted in cheers. Troy rushed over to help Mr. Punchy out of the hole.

"Butterfree, return!" Elijah said. He reached out his pokeball and a red beam shot out encasing the injured Pokemon.

Evan ran over to celebrate with Troy and the two were soon joined by the massive crowd who wanted to congratulate the winner. Elijah sulked over cash in hand, Evan quickly snatched it up and began counting. Troy looked to Elijah and thanked him for the match. The crowd slowly dispersed, but not before Troy scored a few numbers from the local beauties. Evan was irked but resisted the urge to smack Troy upside the head.

"How much we got, bro?" Troy said bouncing Mr. Punchy in his arms.

Evan pulled a large wad of cash out of his bag and started counting meticulously. The last battle added enough to cover the entrance fee to the Vermilion Gym and their supplies for the trip to Pewter City, with a little left over for some fun back in Celadon. Evan was pleased. He stuffed the money back into his bag and slung it over his shoulder.

"How's Poliwag doing?" Evan asked.

"Mr. Punchy is doing fine, thank you. Aren't you Mr. Punchy?" Troy said.

Mr. Punchy chirped in agreement. Its ocean blue skin was stained with dirt but slowly regaining color naturally. He made a mental note to stock up on potions when they reached town.

Evan looked to the horizon. The Sun was starting to set and the tall buildings of Vermillion cut through the red glow casting long shadows over the roadways Their destination was only a short walk away.

The path to Vermilion took a sharp turn through a thick patch of tall grass. Trainers would search these fields endlessly for rare and exotic Pokemon that would make them the talk of the town. More often than not they would return to their homes empty handed. Evan and Troy took careful measures to avoid the trainers, as they were usually eager to challenge anyone who passed by and Mr. Punchy was still not fully recovered.

The welcome sign to the city shined beneath the flickering streetlights. They walked down main street enjoying the quiet city, it was a welcome change to Celadon. The shops had closed, except for the Poke Center, and the sidewalks were bare of any late-night wanderers. The one thing they missed was the savory smell of the corner ramen carts.

The Poke Center was located in the middle of the city hidden between large brick-front townhouses. If not for the giant neon pokeball on its roof they would never have found it. The center was empty but cramped, a result of trying to fit modern technology in antiquated architecture.

The nurse them at the front desk and took their Pokemon. The boys watched as she walked to the back, her pink hair bouncing with each step. They fell into a couple of chairs near the entrance and waited patiently for their Pokemon to be healed. Evan was especially thankful to be off of his feet. While the walk was fairly easy he was not in the best of shape. Troy on the other hand was still wide awake with what seemed like endless energy. Probably anxious for tomorrow, Evan thought.

He hadn't given much thought to the match between Troy and Surge. Surge was clearly a more experienced trainer with stronger Pokemon, and to top it all off he had the type advantage over Mr. Punchy. He would need to stall long enough for Evan to sneak in and search for the files. There were too many questions that needed answers for Evan to relax.

"Troy, what are you going to do tomorrow?" He asked.

Troy shrugged.

"You have a plan, right?"

Troy shrugged again.

"Please tell me you have a plan. A battle strategy? A hidden ace up your sleeve? A sniper in the nest? Anything?"

"Don't worry so much, you'll give yourself wrinkles." Troy smirked.

"I hope you're taking this seriously. This is our first paid job since high school, I really don't want to lose it."

"Dude, relax. This isn't even a job. We're thieves. Con artists. If this is a job then Rocco is a respectable member of society."

Evan snorted at the idea. Troy was right, this was not a job but he was still worried about the consequences. He had yet to forget the backroom confrontation with Rocco and his muscle Gionni.

"Alright, alright. But be honest with me. Do you have a plan?" Evan asked.

"When do I ever have a plan?"

"Oh my Arceus."

The bell rung at the front desk and Nurse Joy returned with their Pokemon. Troy shot up out of his chair, snatched the ball, and headed for the exit.

"Where are you going?" Evan asked. Troy turned to him, smiled and said:

"I'll be back. I have an errand to run." He replied. He darted out the door and disappeared into the night.

"That bastard has a plan…"

* * *

On the top floor of the tallest tower in Saffron, hidden behind a maze of locked doors and teleportation panels, was the office of Steven Stone, the new President and Chairman of Silph International. It had been only 6 months since Devon and Silph had merged corporations, but the changes were already drastic. Security had been increased dramatically, barring anyone who didn't have a card key from using the elevator to access the upper floors. The receptionist at the front desk had been replaced with a muscle-bound brute handpicked by Steven himself. The teleporter maze was rewired and redrawn, and the scientists replaced.

Steven's office was expanded to include the hallway elevator that was once a dead-end hallway to trick trespassers. The windows had been removed and replaced with fluorescent lights that simulate natural sunlight. The walls were opened up and reinforced with three-inch-thick steel plates, although many thought that was for aesthetics rather than security. The office itself was sleek and modern, decorated with a solitary black governor's desk in the middle of the floor.

Steven stood behind his desk using the VR computer screen in front of him manipulating numbers and charts that appeared in the air. His assistant stood silently behind him watching the screen, her hands held tightly in front of her.

"Vanessa," Steven said. His assistant perked up almost startled by his words. His eyes had not left the screen, and his hands were still working. "What can I do for you?"

Vanessa fumbled with her clipboard nearly dropping it on the floor. She straightened her glasses and began reciting the itinerary.

"Well, uh, sir. Your 1 o'clock is here." She said. Steven took his eyes off the screen and looked to his assistant.

"My 1 o'clock? I don't remember scheduling anyone for 1."

"You wanted to keep this one off the books, sir." She swallowed hard and finished with a whisper. "Regarding…Project Mercury."

"Oh! Right. Send him in."

Vanessa ran off to the hall and Steven's eyes returned to his work. After a brief moment, the door slid open and Vanessa returned followed closely by a mohawked purple-haired youth in a taut leather jacket and ripped blue jeans. She stopped in front of his desk, with the youth in tow.

"That will be all, Vanessa. Thank you." He said. She looked awkwardly at the punky trainer and took her leave.

"Welcome back, Vance." Steven said. He extended his hand which was quickly accepted and gripped hard.

"Good to be back. New secretary?" He asked. Steven nodded. "I think I scared her."

Steven laughed.

"She hasn't gotten used to some of the rougher characters with which I've done business." He said. "Speaking of which, how was your time in Vermilion?"

"Great, if you don't count getting my ass handed to me by one of the strongest gym leaders in Kanto."

"Yes, Surge is quite the trainer. He reminds me of Wattson, perhaps less genial."

"Everything else is pretty much in order. We've had reports of Team Rocket moving in to Saffron."

"I've heard that too. Anything in chatter?" He asked.

"Not a thing. If they have anything planned then they're keeping it hush-hush. I'll keep my ears open but no promises." He replied. "There was one thing that concerned me though."

"Oh?"

"After my battle with Surge this young idiot trainer came in a latched onto his Raichu. I didn't think much of it until he stood and challenged him to a match."

"Surge is challenged by many trainers, how is this one different?"

"Well, this guy, he's not a trainer, and if he is then he's brand new."

"Naivety, perhaps? It wouldn't be the first time a leader has been challenged by a novice."

"That's the thing. I recognized him from somewhere so I had one of my guys check him out." Vance said. He pulled a manila folder out of his jacket and threw it on Steven's desk. Steven flipped it open and examined the picture. "He's a petty thief from Celadon. His partner in crime was there too."

"They seem harmless enough. What's the big deal?" Steven said, flipping through the pages.

"Think about it. Two petty thieves who have spent their entire lives causing trouble in Celadon, and exclusively Celadon, end up in a new city with new Pokemon challenging the most well-known and respected Gym Leader in Kanto. At the same time Team Rocket allegedly return to Saffron."

"An unlikely coincidence, but a coincidence nonetheless methinks." Steven said. He closed the folders and handed them back to Vance.

"Project Mercury has key points in the four cities that surround Saffron. They could be targeting the labs."

"Two unknown low-level trainers are targeting our labs in hopes of derailing on of the largest scientific breakthroughs of the current era? I hear your concern; however, I do believe our efforts are better focused on discovering Team Rocket's plans for Saffron."

"But, sir, I- "

"That is enough. If you feel this strongly then you can investigate on your own. But in the mean time you have your assignment and I have work to do. You are excused." Steven said. He returned to screen and began fiddling with numbers again.

"Before I go, sir."

"Yes?"

"If they are discovered to be connected to Team Rocket and Project Mercury what would you have me do with them?"

"Neutralize them."


	5. Chapter 5

**Toxic**

 **Chapter 5**

The morning of the battle came and there was already a large crowd gathered around the entrance to the Vermilion City Gym. Vendors were peddling their trinkets and meat buns to the eager fans. People were placing bets on how quickly Surge would dispose of the newcomer, less than five minutes being the odds-on favorite. Cans of beer were cracked open and passed around, guaranteeing that today's crowd would be a rowdy one.

Evan marveled at the size of the gym, it had been rebuilt and relocated 3 years ago on the large parcel of land in the northwest corner of the city. Rows of yellow and black seats stretched high into the sky slowly filling with spectators from all around Kanto. The field was suspended in a steel cage high in the air and was lit up like a wrestling ring. Two long bridges built on either side connected the cage to two large private suites on the mid-level of the stadium. Hanging from two large steel rafters at the top of the stadium was a Jumbotron livestreaming statistics about the two competitors.

He found a seat at the back of the lower level deck near the concession stands. The sweet smell of fresh pretzels made his stomach growl but he was too nervous to eat. Troy had left the night before but had not returned. A video of him flexing appeared on the Jumbotron which assured Evan that at least he had made it to the stadium alright, he made a mental note to slap him upside the head after the match.

Soon enough the stadium was full and the crowd was roaring. Fireworks shot off in all different directions from the top of the stadium while music blasted from the intercoms. Evan was astonished that a battle between Surge and an unknown trainer would receive such attention but he wasn't complaining. The noise of the crowd and the battle itself would be perfect cover.

The announcer entered from the left side of the ring, he was dressed head to toe in a perfectly tailored white tuxedo with hair pomped with so much oil that even Elvis would be envious. He pulled a mic from his sleeve and greeted the crowd. All eyes were on him as he introduced the challenger.

This is my chance, Evan thought.

He grabbed his bag and slowly slipped from his seat in into the dark tunnels of Vermilion City's Stadium. Hidden in the shadows of the dimly lit hallway he passed by factions of guards on patrol. He kept his back to the cold stone wall as he walked, and took corners quietly under the cover of the noisy stadium crowd. Eventually he spotted an old oak door with big block lettering that read Keep Out.

"A bit obvious." He whispered to himself.

He slowly opened the door and slipped in the pitch-black room. He moved his arms up and down the wall until he found the light. When he switched it on he discovered the room he had stumbled into was in fact, the janitor's closet filled to the brim with dirty mops, chemicals, and a slosh bucket.

"You have got to be kidding me." He said, slapping his forehead.

As he turned to leave the room Grimer broke free of his pokeball and leapt into the slosh bucket splashing dirty mop water all over Evan's clothes.

"Grimer, no!" He yelled.

Grimer ignored him and splashed happily about in the muck-filled yellow bucket.

"I swear to Arceus I'm going to trade you for a Caterpie." He grumbled. "Can you just hurry up so we can go?"

Grimer frowned and slowly stepped from the pail. His hand reached for the handle when the sound of voices made him jerk back. Grimer shuffled over and pressed its ear to the door, Evan quickly following suit. Heavy footsteps approached, stopping short of the door. Evan could hear what sounded like two guards arguing quietly. He listened closely.

"I don't care what they say, I'm not risking my life for some stupid project." The first guard said. His voice was harsh and raspy, reminiscent of a lifetime smoker. The second guard spoke up, his voice younger and smoother with a sense of excitement.

"Dude, this could be the largest breakthrough in scientific history!"

"Now don't you go quoting Stone. I could care less about science. Science isn't gonna get me to retirement."

"It's not about retirement it's about making history!"

"History is overrated, I want no part in it."

"Why not? Where's your sense of adventure?"

"On Cinnabar Island in a cottage by the sea."

"Come on, the guy out of Lavender said it's not so bad."

"They live with ghosts! If they die they get to go home!"

"That's beside the point. Look, we're only one of four groups chosen to guard this thing. They _chose_ us. Doesn't that mean anything?"

"Listen, kid. I get it, you want to be special. All you kids do. Yeah, we got chosen. You know who else got chosen? A bunch more nameless faceless guards from Laveder, Celadon, and Cerulean. You think they care about us? They don't. We're numbers, statistics, expendables. I could die of a heart attack right now and they would have me replaced before my body hit the ground. You want to be special? You're in the wrong line of work. Go be a painter or something."

"But we could be a part of history…"

"History be damned. I'm too old for this. Now let's go, I'm not missing lunch because of your identity crisis."

The two voices trailed off and Evan relaxed from the door. He stared at Grimer confused. What was Project Mercury? Was Rocco involved? Was this related to Operation Toxic? Was this what he and Troy were sent to find? A smile came across his face.

"What if Rocco doesn't know?" He asked. Grimer looked up at him confused. "What if Rocco doesn't know that the only important labs are the ones surrounding Saffron? What if this is what we're supposed to find?

"Grimer, if we steal the files from Project Mercury we could cut our mission time in half! We could go back home and get out of Team Rocket for good!" He jumped to his feet and lifted Grimer from the ground. "We need to find the lab quick!"

He bolted from the door with Grimer under his arm and headed down the hall opposite the way of the guards. The noise from the crowd filled the tunnels as Evan frantically searched for the lab. The roaring crowd signaled the close end of the match. He ran from doorway to doorway narrowly missing the patrolling guards. When he reached the south entrance of the stadium he found what he was looking for. Two large chrome doors stood in front of him complete with a digital keypad.

"Bingo." He said to Grimer, who was still helplessly hanging from underneath his arm. He ran up to the door and examined the keypad. It was a standard 9-digit pad with a card key slot on the side for quick access. "Watch and learn, Grimer."

He popped the top of the keypad off revealing an intricate design of wires and circuits. He fiddled around with the wiring for a few seconds before the light clicked green and the door opened. Grimer looked on astonished and started cheering.

"Casino installed the same lock when they tried to kick Troy and I out the first time. When will they learn?" He said.

The hallway to the lab had see-through glass walls leading up to another thick security door. The offices on both sides were occupied by scientists performing different experiments. The doors to the office were secured by large metal frames complete with steel bars and keypads.

"We need a distraction to get to that door. Grimer do you think you can fill this hallway with a Smokescreen?" He asked. Grimer nodded and approached the door. He took in a large breath and then blew a thick black smoke into the hallway. A bright red light began flashing in the hallway as a shrill alarm went off. The doors to the office clicked open followed soon by the large steel security door at the end of the hall.

Evan and Grimer his in the smoke next to the door as the scientists and guards came rushing from the hallway. Evan covered his mouth and ran into the lab. The steel door was heavy to push even with Grimer helping out but they eventually got it open. The room behind it was large and spacious. In the center of it stood a massive energy cell emitting sparks of electricity. The walls were lined with industrial-sized computer towers with blinking red lights. The back half of the room was circular and lifted higher than the rest. A wide set control system sat underneath a monitor the size of the Jumbotron. Evan walked up the stairs, eyes wide, staring at the massive monitor. The control panel stretched all around him as he reached the top. Grimer stood beside him hugging his leg.

The screen displayed a detailed map of the Kanto and Hoenn region. Certain cities were lit up on both; Saffron, Cerulean, Lavender, Vermilion, Celadon on one, Rustboro, Mauville, and Mossdeep on the other. Underneath the maps were equations Evan couldn't understand.

"This must be what they were looking for…" He said. He pulled a flash drive from his bag and found a port to plug it into in one of the towers. He returned to the keyboard and moved the files onto the device. When it finished he pulled it from the tower and put it back in his bag.

"We need to get out of here, Grimey." He said. Grimer nodded in agreement and happily returned to his pokeball. Through the heavy smoke Evan ran back through the hall and out the door, sight unseen.

* * *

Outside the stadium people gathered in celebration. The match had ended and people flew the red and blue flag of victory. Evan joined the crowd and made his way to the center where his friend Troy stood, badge in hand, surrounded by a group of his cheerleaders. Evan's jaw dropped to the floor.

"Oh hey, man! Look!" Troy shouted, waiving the shiny Sun shaped badge. "I won!"

"H-how?" He said. Troy pulled a pokeball from his belt and held it in the air, the crowd cheering wildly.

"I caught a Diglett!" He screamed. The crowd nearly exploded for the tiny Pokemon inside the ball.

"What in the hell did I miss?"


End file.
